1
as in snake
a limbless reptile with a long body
an Aztec carving of a feathered serpent representing the god Quetzalcoatl
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2
3
as in traitor
one who betrays a trust or an allegiance
a serpent in their midst had betrayed the revolutionaries to the authorities
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of serpent
And if a mother kept a piece of jasper on hand throughout her child’s infancy, they would both be protected from malign spirits of the air and from the tongue of the ancient serpent that was hell‑bent on ensnaring newborns.
—
Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
At the Mayan site Chichen Itza in Mexico, people gather during the equinox to watch the sun create a shadow pattern that resembles a serpent descending a pyramid called El Castillo.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
If this animal sounds like a Burmese python, that’s because the serpent-like fish — known as Asian swamp eels — have a lot in common with the big, invasive constrictors.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 12 Mar. 2026
Sightings of mythical creatures in Rhode Island are far and few between these days, but a giant serpent that supposedly once lived in the woods of present-day Coventry is the subject of enduring local lore.
—Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for serpent
Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
At the Mayan site Chichen Itza in Mexico, people gather during the equinox to watch the sun create a shadow pattern that resembles a serpent descending a pyramid called El Castillo.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
If this animal sounds like a Burmese python, that’s because the serpent-like fish — known as Asian swamp eels — have a lot in common with the big, invasive constrictors.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 12 Mar. 2026
Sightings of mythical creatures in Rhode Island are far and few between these days, but a giant serpent that supposedly once lived in the woods of present-day Coventry is the subject of enduring local lore.
—Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for serpent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serpent
Noun
-
Kleinman said that snakes, including copperheads, play an important role in the ecosystem.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
-
Palin was the only Monty Python representative on stage, but the second python of the night after a snake featured in one of the highlight videos.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
Noun
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The Comedy Central series' new episode, which aired Wednesday, continued its season-long thread of mocking Trump and depicting him in a romantic relationship with Satan.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
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The show continues to run with its gag of depicting Trump with comically small genitals and as Satan’s lover.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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As a result, he was tried in absentia, declared a traitor and subjected to the state’s harshest penalties.—
Kimberly Nath,
The Conversation,
7 May 2026
-
Linking their destinities is a man—presumably the traitor’s son of the title—with the extra wrinkle that Elegy is fated to fall in love with him.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Dangerous reptiles like cobras, mambas, vipers, anacondas and rattlesnakes are all banned from private ownership.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Once revived, the viper immediately bites the farmer.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This is the aforementioned devil’s chair.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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And, yes, there is a literal devil in this one, which won’t be a surprise to anyone familiar with LaValle’s novel.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
It’s been three years since Spoon’s last album, Lucifer on the Sofa.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Griffin’s other credits include The Bad Guy, Jersey Boys, Lucifer and S.W.A.T., to name just a few.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Serpent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serpent. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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